Once again showing more hustle and bustle than the top 100 Interior Design Giants, the second 100
Giants­earned $425,634,285 for our 2008 reporting period, up 25 percent from the previous year—the top
group’s increase was only 15 percent. Both beat their own earnings projections by more than 10 percent,
but interior design continues to account for a larger share of earnings for the second group (73 percent)
than for the top group (59 percent). In fact, 35 of the second Giants report that all their income derives from
interior design. (Only 17 of the top Giants claim that distinction, with architecture, engineering, facilities
management, and industrial design playing a larger part.)
The most earned by a single second Giant was $7,325,000, up 25 percent; the least was
$1,700,000, up 13 percent. As always, corporate office work was the most active sector for both
sets of Giants, but hospitality, which commands the highest average fees per hour, has been growing
steadily over the past five years for the second 100 Giants, consistently coming in just behind offices
and now accounting for 29 percent of earnings. Conversely, hospitality has been something of a roller

number

— and gaining

Idea/Span designed Turner Broadcasting
System in Atlanta.

coaster for the top 100 Giants, now generating only 17 percent of earnings. After hospitality, offices
commanded the highest hourly fees, followed by the ever fascinating “other” category, which com­
prises­government, retail, education, culture and entertainment, residential, health care and as­
sisted living­, and transportation.
The value of the second 100 Giants’ fixtures, furnishings, and construction was $10,215,788,968,
up 19 percent, compared with the top 100’s tally, which rose only 15 percent. Total space designed
was 192,179,056 square feet, up 8 percent versus 3 percent for the top 100. However, before we be­
come too entranced by the get-up-and-go of the second 100, we should note that their earnings per
square foot installed are only three quarters that of the top 100 Giants, the projects’ dollar value
Continued on page 172.

185
From left: Lauckgroup designed Tocquigny in Austin, Texas. RYA Design Consultancy’s
Shinsegae department store is in Seoul, South Korea.

courtesy of shinsegae

roughly one third less. Interior design staff
increased­5 percent, to 2,725, not much of a
showing compared to the top Giants’ 13 percent. The second 100 also billed fewer working hours. At the same time, however, earnings per employee rose 11 percent, an increase
more than double that of the top 100.
After five years during which renovation
projects accounted for a small majority of
the second 100 Giants’ work, the tables
turned this year: New construction took the
lead. International jobs rose from 5.3 percent
to 8.6 percent but still lagged behind the top
100’s 14.1 percent.
Over the past two years, the second 100
Giants­have considerably increased the presence of sustainability and branding experts.

joe aker/aker/zvonkovic photography

200
giants

127

The number of firms with green concerns in
their mission statements has risen to 56, fewer
than the top 100’s 68 firms but a 71 percent in­
crease nonetheless. The second 100 specified
$446,207,200 in green product, just under 15
percent of total expenditures on fixtures and
furnishings. That’s compared with 34 percent
for the top 100.
On average, government, educational, corpo­
rate office, and health-care clients are the most
receptive to green design. Under 14 percent of
the interior design staff at second 100 Giant firms
is LEED-accredited, as opposed to 44 percent for
the top 100. Eleven firms follow LEED guidelines
at least 75 percent of the time, but 18 haven’t
had a chance to follow them at all. Clearly, a
better class of client is indicated.
—Judith Davidsen

Right: Heitz Parsons Sadek designed Yi Cafe at the Shangri-La Hotel
in Xian, China.
Opposite, from left: Zeffdesign and Graham Downes Architecture collaborated on a master plan for a mixed-use development in Las Vegas. Looney
& Associates designed Tennesseeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chattanoogan.

giants200
MethodologyThe second installment of the two-part annual business survey of Interior Design Giants comprises

the second 100 largest firms ranked by interior design fees for the 12-month period ending December 31, 2007. The first 100
firms’ ranking was published in January 2008.
Interior design fees include fees attributed to:
1. All types of interiors work, including commercial office, hospitality, retail, medical, and residential.
2. All aspects of a firm’s interior design practice, from strategic planning and programming to design and project management.
3. Fees paid to a firm for work performed by employees and independent contractors who are full-time staff equivalent.
Interior design fees do not include revenues paid to a firm and remitted to subcontractors that are not considered full-time
staff equivalent. For example, certain firms attract work that is subcontracted to a local firm. The originating firm may collect all
the fees and retain a management or generation fee, paying the remainder to the performing firm. The amounts paid to the latter
are not included in the fees of the collecting firm in determining its ranking.
The data was compiled and analyzed by the Interior Design market research staff in New York: research director Wing Leung
and research manager Laura Girmsheid. Judith Davidsen is a frequent contributor to Interior Design.

112
Opposite, from top: Spacesmith’s CAVA computer store is at the School of Visual Arts,
New York. GBD Architects designed the Gerding Theater at the Armory in Portland, Oregon.
From left: The Knoll showroom in St. Louis is by Arcturis. Gary Lee Partners designed the
Chicago restaurant Sepia.